When a homeowner begins missing payments on their mortgage, they become at risk for being foreclosed on. However, the foreclosure process does not usually begin until at least three missed payments, or after approximately 90 days. This is because the process is expensive for lenders and they want to avoid it if possible, so after one or two missed payments, they typically reach out to the homeowner by letter or phone to discuss why they haven’t paid yet. The lender will likely be willing to work with them to find other solutions, such as foreclosure mediation, HUD-certified financial counseling, or programs for loan modifications.